Workpiece feed device



1959 I. F. WEISS 2,868,050

WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Filed Oct. 5, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.IRVING F WEISS 13, 1959 I'. F. WZEISS WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Filed Oct.5. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 N/ N. E v t W 1 mm ow INVENTOR. IRVING E WEISSm \m an mm nihwmwwwwmV. mat

I. F. WEISS WORKPIECE FEED DEVICE Jan. 13, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledOct. 5, 1955 INVENTOR. IRVING E WEISS United States Patent WORKPIECEFEED DEVICE Irving F. Weiss, Cleveland, Ohio Application October 5,1955, Serial No. 538,601

3 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) This invention relates in general to feed devicesto feed workpieces one by one to a work device, and relates moreparticularly to an electrical crimping tool for applying terminals toconductor wires, the crimping tool having a magazine supply of suchterminals adapted to feed one at a time to the crimping jaws.

Crimping of electrical connectors and terminals to conductors in an oldand well known process, and very satisfactory hand and power tools tocarry out such process are now also well known.

However, at least in the case of hand tools, it has been necessary priorto this invention to pick up one terminal and place it on a conductor,and thereafter pick up a crimping tool and crimp the terminal in place.Although feed devices have no doubt been considered and proposed, nosatisfactory feed device has been achieved. The electrical industry,particularly the builders of installations made to specifications, hasbeen wasting untold man hours in unnecessary tool handling.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a feeddevice which will supply electrical terminals one by one in series to acrimping head in timed relationship to the crimping operation of thework jaws.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a feed devicewhich will successively advance workpieces to a tool device havingrelatively closable work members.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a track forfeeding workpieces to a work station and to provide cooperatingreleasable detention members which will alternately block off portionsof a series of workpieces progressing along the said track to therebypresent such workpieces to a work station in an individual series.

Yet another object of the present invention is to relate the operationof the release control of such workpieces from the track means to thecooperating work device to which the feed device supplies theworkpieces.

And yet another object of the present invention is to make such controldevice operate responsively to the relative position of the work jawsand be manually operable to permit indexing of the system prior to thenormal indexing which would be produced by mechanical operation.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had-byreferring to the following specification and claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of a pivoted hand tool for crimping electricalterminals upon a wire conductor, together with the control mechanism andforward portion of a feed track embodying the principles of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus set forth in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a front view of the tool and the associated feedingapparatus of the present invention, this view being on a larger scalethan Figures 1 and 2 and indicating 'ice the closed position of the toolin crimping action upon a terminal workpiece;

Figure 4 is a side view as shown in Figure 2, on the enlarged scale usedin Figure 3, indicating in more detail the physical constructionembodied to carry out the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the jaws of the crimpingtool partially opened and the end terminal removed as would be the caseafter having been attached to a conducting wire; and

Figure 7 is a side view of the opening condition of the tool with thecontrol means being released from the detent by the releasing lever.

The primary purpose for which the present invention was developed is toprovide a series of electrical terminals in a feed device and place theterminals one at a time between the jaws of the crimping tool. The feeddevice holds the terminals against moving through the crimp device untilthe jaws of the crimping device actually close upon the barrel of theterminal. After the crimping device has gripped the barrel of theterminal this invention then releases the crimped terminal and theterminal may be removed with its attached wire from the tool. Thereafterthe entire series of terminals is indexed one step forward to presentthe next terminal in the series into position for crimping. Thus,without attention by the operator, the terminals are placed intoposition wherein wires may be successively inserted into terminals andcrimped upon the terminals.

' The drawings illustrate how the preferred embodiment of the inventionhas been developed for carrying out the specific object of providing afeed device to serve a crimping tool. In Figures 1 and 2 a pivoted handtool 10 is set forth as the environment for the invention, although itis to be understood that a power operated device carrying relativelyclosable work jaws is just as suitably adapted for cooperation with thefeed device of this invention. Hand tool 10 has a first handle 11 and asecond handle 12 for convenient manual operation. Handles 11 and 12 arepivoted about a pivot point 13. Work jaws 14 and 15 extend on the sideof the pivot 13 opposite the handles 11 and 12. The tool 10 isconventional in principle and such tools are well known and understoodin the art. The particular tool illustrated has a saddle recess 16 inthe lower jaw into which a barrel of a terminal may seat. The top jaw 15is provided with a crimp rib 17 to crush the terminal seated in thesaddle 16. Such crushing action firmly unites a terminal and a conductorwire in a good mechanical and electrical union.

Such tools as the tool 10 have been used prior to this invention bymanually placing the barrel end of a terminal between the jaws andclosing the handles to provide a light holding grip. Thereafter a wireconductor was inserted into the barrel and the handles then actuated tocrush the terminal upon the wire. Many hand operations are thusrequired, as will readily be understood. According to this invention atrack 20 is associated with the lower jaw 14 and provides a longitudinalguide-way formation shaped to confine a series of the workpieces, inthis case electrical terminals, to a longitudinal path of movement alongthe track. In the embodiment iilustrated in the drawings, the track hasa side rail 21 and a side rail 22 which define a longitudinal passageway23 therealong. A common type of electrical terminal is the type havingan eyelet portion and a closed barrel. In Figure 5 the formation of suchterminals may be best seen. These terminals are referred to by thereference character 26 having eyelet portion 27 and a closed barrel 28.Other shapes of workpieces and terminals may be accommodated by aproperlyjor nedtraekdevice whieh presents surface'meansYo confine aseries of the workpieces to a longitudinal pathof travel. Thelongitudinal Pee e w fi n thei ll st ated rre er eismhed nem toterminals holds the terminals in a ngi dinal slide Pa by Fq flfifllfltbererele ss aten .2 t2 E Q1 h massa way 23,,and thebar e1 therebetween.V I

Something e de ste.urses ne; .te. sa fia n the track. Noparticular meanshas been illustrated in (the drawings. Grav ity or a spring are examplesof;convenient means. The track 20 may be curved upwardlyin order thatthe weight of the terminals 26 may cause the series toslidethroughthepassageway 23. ln facnithe track may extend to an overheadautomatic-orientation device for a continuous snpply. A .spring similarto the spring employedtor forcing staples through a stapling machine isalso a means for urging the terminals to move along the track. 2

The track 20 terminates on the lower portion thereof in a downwardlyextending holding and support bracket portion 24. "Bolts 25 may then beemployed to secure the bracket 24 to the lower jaw 14 of tool 10. Thusthe longitudinal path of travel established by the traek device 2.0 maybe accurately aligned with the saddle 16 and the track 2 permanentlyestablished with the lower jaw 14 anon-0 150 whetherthat jaw 14 be amovable or fixed jaw. In the a case of the hand tool, of course, jaw 14is as movable as the upperjaw 15. V V

A trac k establishing a longitudinal pathto the saddle with means behindthe series of terminals in that track wouldnot be satisfactorywithoutsome means of eau sing thelfirst terminal in the series to bepresented to the crimping device independently of the balance of theseries. Without such a device theentire series wouldflow t ou th iaw e te .t e a d al tr t e e t w i w Wereep ned- As maybe possiblybest seen inFigure}, a pair. of coe e e ing re a n r o hol v e a e yed to presentthe 'tertninals successively one by one-to the crimping device. l lachofthe terminals 26 in the track may be said-to have a multiple number ofpositions. Thus, afirst and second position are established at and nextto, respectively the terminus of the track. In Figure 3 pin devices 30are carried by the holding and support bracket 24. The pin devices 30have pin finger portions 31 which are extendable upwardly across thelongitudinal path established by the track 20, as maybe best seen byexamination of Figure 5. In'Figure 5 it will be seen that when thefinger portions 31 are extended across the longitudi nal path, theeyeletportion 27 of the first position terminal 26 will wedgebetween the pinsand come to afixed forward stop position. Proper placement of the pinportions 31 therefore will cause the barrel portion 28 of the terminalto be prpperly positioned in the saddle'lfi. Furthermore, holding of thefirst position terminal will Step h m eme t 91 the eatirese ieeof t rmnat .A i Spring/32 i P YlQ E 9 .F F 1 Pillfil PQ t 31 to a firstposition across .thelongitudinal path."

A second holding means in the form ofa pronged retainer deviceis'provided tohold the series by engaging the eyelet portion of thesecondterininalin the seris. The retainer 40 has two spaced prongs orpins 41 which e d do nwa e ree th lon i u ina P t esta lished bytraclcZtB to a first or'retaining position. Extension of the prong pins41 across the path may also be best understood by examination of Figure5.

Operationof the spring devices 30 is coordinated with operation of theprong retainer 40. In the illustratedembodiment this coordination isaccomplished by the pro.- vision of a pressure foot 31; which is hookedto the bottom of track device20 by means of a hook 3.4. Foot 33 rests ona collar portion of each of these pin devices 30. The pron p ns e de e40 ereef i fi en en te qnme t e e 3. a te th in slh e ex en d ent yacross the path of the track 20. Therefore complete .blq h ns .Q th e ieo rm e e y the r ai 4 required before the pin devices 30 can be moved toa second position releasing the series. Of course, release of the seriesunder such circumstances by the pin devices 30 in effect releases onlythe first position terminal because the balance of the series is engagedand retained by the retainer 40 prior to release by. the pin devices 30.

The operation of both the retainer 40 and the pin devices 30 isassociated -with closing of the work jaw members of the crimping tool bysupplying the operating power from the top jaw 15.

In the illustrated embodiment 4 of the invention, the prong retainer 40has an upwardly extending catch member 42. A spring-detent 43 carried-bythe track 20 provides a catch which holds the retainer 40 in the firstposition blocking movement of the terminals in the track. Upwardmovement is deterred by the detent spring 43 until the device 40 isreleasedfrornretention of the detent.

A detent release device 45,.which may be seen in its entirety in Figure2 of the drawings, is employed to actuate and release thevprong retainer40. The device 45 is adapted for mechanical or manual control. A barportion 46 of the detent release device 45 is pivotally mounted'by-means of pivot 47 on the handle 12. The forward end of bar 46 isprovided with laterally extending fingers 49 and 5 as may best be seenand understood in FigureS of the drawings. A -tab 51 extending from bar46 is engaged with the handle 11. The engagement with the handle' 11 maybe a contact engagement, but preferablyis provided tosupply a selfacting release movement of bar 46. To supply such self acting releasemovement, a pin bolt 52 extendingfrom the handle 11 resides and operateswithin the cam slot,53 cut out of the tab 51. The operation ofthe pinbolt 52 and the slot 53 will be better understood and more fullyexplained after the operation of the entire detent release devicehasbeen set forth.

However, because the top of theslot153 will engagethe pi 'tbe' t '5 e sn me eme t o t e ha e .11 dwl will cause the' bar 46 to. pivot with theclosing of the jaws 14 and 15. The finger 49 will therefore contact thetop of the catch 42 and move the pronged retainer 40 from the releasesecond position to the retainer first position as the work jaws 1'4 and15 close together. Thus, crimping of the terminal in the first positioncauses the prongs or pins 41 to move across the longitudinal path andhold the series of-terminals, and at the same time will cause the pinportions 31 of the pin devices 30 to move from the first or retainingposition to the second release position. This describedcondition is setforth in *Figure'3. A wire 44 is inserted into the barrel of the firstposition terminal prior to such crimping action and the terminal is thensecured to the wire.

After such attachment of the first position terminal to the wire 44,-thehandles 11 and 12 are released and will open under the urge of spring'35.. As the jaw'15 parts from the jaw 14, the pressure of the finger 49is released from the'catch member 42 The pronged retainer 40 is urged tothe upward second release position by any suitable means, but preferablyby its own resiliency. The retainer 40 may be attached to the track 20 adistance from the terminus ofthe track20, and by providing the-structurethereof of 'a spring material, the natural urge of the device 40 will beto the-second or released position. Therefore the catch 42 will tend tofollow upwardly with the finger49 upon opening of the work 'jaws. Upwardmovement permits the springs 32 to force the pin finger portions 31upwardly to the first or retaining position. However, the detent 43 willnot permit upward movement until released. Opening movement of the jawsreleases the first terminal, "but does not immediately release thedetent holding actionbecauseof the. slo ttedinterconnection of thecontrol bar tothe handle. Release of the detent will take Plac mechani aly. a r t e l s p to t e xte t a the bottom of the' cam slot engages pin52, causing bar 45 to pivot and raise finger 50 against the catch 42 andforcejthe catch out of the detent.

Slot 53 is insufliciently long to permit complete opening of the handles11 and 12 upon first contact of the bottom' of slot 53 and pin bolt 52.Note the sloping configuration of the slot 53. Complete opening requiresthe bar 46 and consequently the tab 51 to pivot about the pivot 47. Thusthe slot 53 is provided with a sufiicient width to permit such pivotalmovement. The original relative movementof pin 52 and slot 53 is alongthe forward wall of the slot 53 until the pin 52 contacts the bottomsurface of the slot 53, whereupon further opening movement requiresrelative movement of the pin 52 along the bottom of the slot to therearward portion of the slot.

Upon removal of the attached terminal, if the operator of the particularhand tool does not wish to open the handles 11 and 12 completely, theoperator may press a thumb button 48 on the bar 46 and cause the finger50 to move upwardly against the bottom of catch 42 and force the releaseof the pronged retainer 40.

The crushed terminal must be forcibly removed, such as by pulling on thewire, before the detent is released to index the series. Experience willteach an operator the extent of permissible handle opening before suchautomatic release of the detent will take place.

Therefore, the original opening movement of the jaws 14 and 15 does notaffect the indexing mechanism while the crushed terminal is beingremoved. Complete removal of the pins 41 is accomplished by the releaseof the catch 42 as described. Pins 31 return to their holding positionalong with the release of the pins 41 in a reversal of the movementwhich resulted as the jaws were closed. Upon such release the prongs orpins 41 move to the second or release position and allow the series ofterminals to progress forward in the track. Such forward progression islimited to the length of one terminal, however, because the pin portions31 are in position to engage the series and bring the series to a haltwith the next terminal of the series held in the first position shown inFigure 5 and ready for a repeat of the cycle.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with acertain degree of particularity, it is understood that the presentdisclosure of the preferred form has been made by way of example onlyand that numerous changes in the details of construction and thecombination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

1. A feed device for successively advancing workpieces to a tool devicehaving relatively closable work members, said feed device comprising, atrack means having guide surfaces shaped to confine a series of theworkpieces to a longitudinal path of movement along the track means,said track means having a terminus positioned to project said path ofmovement between said closable work mem bers, a first stop meansextendable to a first position into said path of movement in a positionto engage a workpiece and hold the workpiece at said terminus with aportion of the workpiece extended beyond the terminus into a workreceiving position between said closable work members, said first stopmeans retractable to a second release position, a second stop meansextendable to a first position into said path of movement in a positionto engage and hold a workpiece second in series to the workpiece at saidterminus engaged by the first stop means, and control means coordinatedwith the relative movement of the work members in control of said firstand second stop means causing said first stop means to move from saidfirst to said second position and said second stop means to move fromthe second to the first position upon closing of the work members uponthe first workpiece in the series, said control means acting in responseto parting of said work members to first move the first stop means fromthe second to the first position and thereafter move the second stopmeans fromthe first to the second position.

2. A tool for crimping terminals upon electrical conductors, comprising,first and second relatively closable work jaw members, said work jawmembers having co operating work surfaces shaped to crush a terminalupon a conducting wire, a track member associated with said second workjaw, said track member having surface means confining a series ofterminals to a longitudinal path of travel, means to urge a series ofterminals along said longitudinal path, said track member directing saidpath to a terminus having a first workpiece position wherein a workpiecein said first workpiece position projects between said cooperating worksurfaces of the first and second jaw members, a second workpieceposition following the first position in series, a first holding meansat said first workpiece position in the form of a first pin meansextendable across said longitudinal path as an interference meansagainst which a surface of a terminal may abut and be held in said firstposition, said first pin means having a first position extended acrosssaid path and a release second position withdrawn from the path to allowfree forward movement of terminals along said path, a second holdingmeans at said second workpiece position in the form of second pin meansextendable across said path as an interference means against which asurface of a terminal may abut and be held in said second workpieceposition, said second pin means having first and second positions likesaid first pin means, retaining means urging said first pin means tosaid first position, releasing means urging said second pin means tosaid second position, drive means to move said first pin means from saidfirst to said second position, said second pin means positioned tocontact and operate said drive means after the second pin means hasmoved to said first position, one-way drive means from said first workjaw to said second pin means arranged only to move said second pin meansfrom said second to said first position as the jaw members close, saiddrive means releasing said second pin means upon opening movement of thejaw members said second pin means thereafter being urged to said secondposition by the force of said releasing means, detent means holding saidfirst and second pin means to said second and first positionsrespectively after opening of the jaw members, and means to release saiddetent means for return of the first and second pin means to theiroriginal positions.

3. A tool for crimping terminals upon electrical conductors, comprising,first and second relatively closable work jaw members, said work jawmembers having cooperating work surfaces shaped to crush a terminal upona conducting wire, a track member associated with said second work jaw,said track member having surface means confining a series of terminalsto a longitudinal path of travel, means to urge a series of terminalsalong said longitudinal path, said track member directing said path to aterminus having a first workpiece position wherein a workpiece in saidfirst workpiece position projects between said cooperating work surfacesof the first and second jaw members, a second workpiece positionfollowing the first position in series, a first holding means at saidfirst workpiece position in the form of a first pin means extendableacross said longitudinal path as an interference means against which asurface of a terminal may abut and be held in said first position, saidfirst pin means having a first position extended across said path and arelease second position withdrawn from the path to allow free forwardmovement of terminals along said path, a second holding means at saidsecond workpiece position in the form of second pin means extendableacross said path as an interference means against which a surface of aterminal may abut and be held in said second position, said second pinmeans having first and second positions like said first pin means,retaining means urging said first pin means to said first position,releas- 7 ing means urging said -second-pi-n -means to said secondposition, drive means to move said firsbpin means from said first tosaid second-position; said second-pin means positioned to contactand'operate'said'drive means as the second pin means-moves tosaid first-position,-one-way drive means--from--said first work jawto-said secondpin means arrangedonly to move said seeond'pin' means from saidsecondtosaid-first position asthe jaw membersclose, said drive means releasingsaid second pinmeans -upon opening movement of the jaw members saidsecond pin means thereafter'being urged to said second position by theforce of.said releasing means, detent means holding .s i s ond Pinmeansan 1hmt t fi p nmean in .vs fir anflsewa res. 9 r spe v y; means .trelease said detent rneansjor final retur n of the second P mea to saise n po ition,v s i mea including a pivoted lever: having a finger endpositioned to -eontact' said second pin meansand push thesecondpin meansout-ofsaid detent,-said pivoted lever having a manual control and amechanical interconnection associated with the jawmembers, themechanical interconnection being operative uponsubstantially fullparting of the-jaW-members,- and' the manual control being operative atwillwith the jawsonlypartially opened.

-'References-Cited in the file of this patent U ITED STATE PAT NT

